How to ask a car dealer for an out-the-door price (email and text templates)

Copy-and-paste messages that ask a dealer for an itemized out-the-door price in writing, with every fee and add-on shown, plus what to check in the reply.

By Eyal Malka · November 7, 2026

Asking for the out-the-door price in writing is the simplest thing you can do to make a car purchase easier to understand. It puts every tax, fee and add-on on one page, it gives you something to compare between dealers, and it means the number you agreed on is the number on the contract.

You do not have to visit the dealer to ask. Most dealers answer email and text, and many will send an itemized quote or a buyer's order.

What to ask for

Whatever wording you use, ask for these things:

1. The out-the-door price, meaning the total including tax, title, registration and every dealer fee.
2. Every line itemized: price, discounts, rebates, taxes, government fees, dealer fees and add-ons each on their own line.
3. The exact vehicle: stock number or VIN, trim and, for a used car, the mileage.
4. Which add-ons are already on the car, and whether each one is optional.
5. If you are financing: the amount financed, APR, number of payments, payment amount and total of payments.
6. How long the price is good for.

Email template

Subject: Out-the-door price for [year make model], stock [number]

Hi,

I'm interested in the [year make model, trim], stock number [number] / VIN [VIN]. Could you send me an itemized out-the-door price in writing?

Please include the selling price, any discounts and rebates, sales tax, title and registration, every dealer fee (including the documentation fee), and any add-ons or protection products, each on its own line. If any add-ons are already installed, please tell me which ones and whether they are optional.

[I'll be paying cash. / I'd like to see financing too: the amount financed, APR, number of payments, payment amount and total of payments for a [60/72]-month term with $[amount] down.]

[I have a trade-in: [year make model], about [mileage] miles, with about $[payoff] left on the loan.]

Thanks,
[Your name]

Text-message template

Hi, I'm interested in the [year make model], stock [number]. Could you text or email me an itemized out-the-door price, with every fee and add-on listed? Thanks!

What to check in the reply

When the quote comes back, go through it before you reply:

• Does it add up? Rebuild the total from its lines: how to calculate the out-the-door price.
• Is every fee named? A line like "fees: $1,450" is not itemized. Ask what is in it. See dealer fees explained.
• Are there add-ons you did not ask for? Pre-installed or pre-printed items are common. See dealer add-ons explained.
• Is it the same car? Check the VIN, trim and mileage.
• If financing: are all five financing numbers there? Amount financed, APR, number of payments, payment and total of payments. A payment on its own says very little. See amount financed vs out-the-door price.

If the dealer only gives you a monthly payment

A monthly payment depends on the price, the loan length, the interest rate and what you put down. You can lower it by changing any of them, including ones that make the car cost more in total. A polite follow-up works:

Thanks for the payment figure. Before I decide, could you send the itemized out-the-door price and the amount financed, APR, number of payments and total of payments behind it?

If the dealer says it has to be done in person

Some dealers prefer not to put numbers in writing until you visit. You can still ask for a written buyer's order or worksheet once you are there, and take a photo of it before you sign anything. Our guide to reading a buyer's order walks through one line by line.

Let us draft the reply

If you already have a quote, upload it to Explain My Dealer Quote. Once you have confirmed the figures, Draft my reply to the dealer writes a text message and an email from what the quote actually shows. It asks for missing figures, asks what each fee covers, asks which add-ons are optional (or asks to remove the ones you tick), and asks for a revised itemized quote. You edit it and send it yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Will a dealer give an out-the-door price over email?

Many will, especially when you name the exact vehicle and ask for an itemized price. If one will not, you can still ask for a written buyer's order at the dealership before you sign.

What is the difference between an out-the-door price and a buyer's order?

The out-the-door price is a single total. A buyer's order (or purchase agreement, or worksheet) is the document that lists the lines making up that total, along with the vehicle, your trade-in and any financing. Ask for the itemized version, not only the total.

Should I tell the dealer about my trade-in when asking for a price?

That is your choice. Mentioning it lets the dealer include it in the quote; leaving it out lets you see the price of the car on its own first. Either way, the trade-in allowance and payoff should appear as separate lines, apart from the price.

How do I ask a dealer to remove add-ons?

Ask in writing for a revised itemized quote without the specific items, naming each one. You can also ask the dealer to confirm which add-ons are optional.

Is it rude to ask several dealers for an out-the-door price?

No. Asking several dealers for the same itemized information is a normal part of shopping for a car, and it makes the quotes easier to compare. See how to compare car quotes from different dealers.